"When theobserver is allowed to pan back and forth (using the image
slices as avideo stream) then the apparent resolution of the images
increases byabout an order of magnitude."

I wonder if this is the same phenomenon:

When an image of the Sun is projected onto a smooth white screen, such as a
sheet of paper, there is a certain amount of detail visible. But when the screen
itself is slowly rotated or panned through the projected
image, considerably more detail becomes apparent (the faculae, in
particular, show up best when the screen is moved around). Presumably, the
visual system is ignoring small random defects in the screen because they are
now moving around. Or maybe the visual system tracks image components which move
together as a unit... I'm sure this has been tested out. Any relevance to
sextant use? A benefit for shaky hands again?? <g>